


Snowy Roses Burn Shadows

by OneLonelyWriter



Category: RWBY
Genre: Bonding, Comfort, Dreams, Family, Friendship, Gen, Guilt, JNPR - Freeform, Multi, Other characters make appearances - Freeform, STRQ, Songs Titles, Throughout 1-6, Volume 1-6, hard times, one shots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-04-05 23:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19050322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneLonelyWriter/pseuds/OneLonelyWriter
Summary: A one shot book filled with our main cast!A lot of them are more bittersweet and serious, but with our team; fun always occurs!Will have one shots of 1-6, but mostly will take place between volume 4-6.





	1. Armed and Ready

**Author's Note:**

> Panic Attack and Nightmare warning. Not extremely in depth, but you have been warned.  
> I had to rewrite this, so some parts might not transition as well. Sorry for errors.
> 
> -Ruby helps Yang with a nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first draft of this got deleted so I had to rewrite most of it. If some of it doesn't seem at good, it's probably cause at that point I was so done. So, sorry for errors.

(Post Volume 5-Mistral House)

It was dark all around, but fires still burned around; producing long shadows instead of graceful light. Gray fires producing even grayer smoke that filled the unending darkness that seemed to stretch on. 

It felt suffocating. It was suffocating. The air was dissipating quickly transforming into more dark smoke. No breath, no light, no hope.

Until after what seemed like eternity in superior darkness, a small red light glared and seemed to be moving closer. The light grew closer and closer, revealing a figure drawing their red and bright sword from its sheathe. They walked slowly and intimidatingly, their glowing red sword being drawn deftly. They wore a mask, with lines that were drawn down it. Their eyes starting to glow a bright and blinding red, which grew more aggressive as they started to come closer, picking up their pace.

The smoke finally cleared around them, revealing them fully. Before a reaction, the figure lunged forward with their glaring sword bared for a strike. With a swipe and pain, darkness clouded vision once more. Catching a final glimpse, the figure was revealed.

It was Raven.

Yang jumps awake, letting out a startled gasp that's quickly muffled by her free hand. Her heart hammers against her rib-cage painfully, her breaths coming out panted.

She looks to her clock which reads 4:00am, which means the sunrise will start very soon. The sky is still dark and clouded from what she can see through the somewhat closed blinds. There's no moonlight like there usually is any other night.

She's still in the guest room in Mistral, after the Battle of Haven. She's with her team, reunited once more. They're across the hall, they're here. Jaune, Ren, and Nora are here together. Qrow and Oscar (with Ozpin of course) are here, somewhere. Yang lets out a drawn out sigh.

Knowing she won't fall asleep, and much less not wanting to in fear of another dream, Yang slowly gets out of bed. She looks to her nightstand where her mechanical arm sits untouched since they had come back from the academy. She shakes her head, and grabs it with her free hand.

Wanting fresh air, she walks over to the door. Quietly opening it that creaks a little and she cringes, waiting a bit before swinging it open once more. She doesn't bother to close it behind her not wanting to make more noise than necessary and stealthily walks down the hall to the old stairs. She makes her way down soundlessly, grateful that they don't settle like they normally do, and swiftly walks through the house to an exit. 

Unbeknownst to her, Ruby who had been having a similar problem hears movement from outside her door. Quiet enough that anyone sleeping wouldn't hear, but loud enough for someone awake the hear. She waits until the movement is far away, where it seems to be going downstairs before deciding to follow swiftly behind.

Yang opens the door to the what they made the training grounds, walking into the middle and carelessly propping herself down into the shallow dirt. There aren't any sounds surrounding her; no crickets or owls or an occasional howl, just complete silence.

Yang looks down at the mechanical hand that she had thrown down next to her when she sat down, grabbing it and attaching it with a small whirl of the mechanics and a wince of a sharp pain telling her its connected. Looking down at the customized gold and grey arm, a pang of sadness and pain shoots through her.

She doesn't know when she feels herself curling up, with her knees pressed to her chest and her arms crossed on them, keeping her head down. She doesn't know when her breathing becomes hard. She doesn't know when her heart tries to rip it's self apart. She doesn't know when her vision blurs with tears. She doesn't know when the memories come back and hit her full force, flooding her mind.

Adam. His sword.

Her arm. Sliced, gone.

Blake. Saving her.

Blake, abandoning her. After all they went through and done together.

Yang sits in silence for awhile. Seconds, minutes, hours; she doesn't keep track. She doesn't care about what's happening around her. She can only focus on what she's feeling.

How she's broken inside.

Yang after becoming oriented enough to come to her senses, sees a small patch of shallow dirt be kicked up beside her. She instantly becomes alert and ready to jump up when a familiar gentle hand grabs her shoulder, pushing her down so she stays seated.

After sitting beside her in a cross-legged position, Ruby doesn't look at Yang as she says, "Nightmare?"

Yang doesn't look at Ruby either. "No. Just wanted some fresh air."

"These past few days have been quite stressful. But at least now we have taken the first step, and without... many causalities yet." Yet. They still had three more relics to go, and they only knew the identity of two maidens. One of which is a lethal enemy, and the other who wants no part in this. Maybe if she was convinced-

"Yeah, but it only gets harder from here. And Haven is now down without a headmaster. A lot of good things happened, but a lot of bad things happened as well.

"We got the relic. That's all that matters right now. Next on our list is Atlas, as Oscar said."

Yang snorts in laughter, "Ice Queen won't be too thrilled about that."

Ruby smiles and gives her a sideways glance, "When she actually heals and has the energy to fight us, we best be ready to run."

"You said it." Yang could picture it now, Weiss chasing everybody with a hard glare as she tosses them around like rag-dolls. She smiled at the thought. "So what's next on the list after Atlas? If we make it there."

"We will make it. We just need to keep moving forward." Ruby's eyes narrow and grow dark, steely. There is determination, but also pain. Yang can relate easily and she wished neither of them could. Is she selfish for wanting out of this so soon?

Yang assumed they weren't the only ones qualified... Well, maybe Ruby with her being a silver eyed warrior or whatever Ozpin had described to her and with what happened in the battle. But besides that, there had to be other fully trained huntsman and huntresses like Qrow willing to take on this task. What made them so special? Compared to the maidens, or Oscar, or Ruby, or Ozpin; why were the rest of them here?

"So what are you really thinking about?" Ruby spoke up suddenly, shattering Yang from her thoughts with a somewhat uncontexted question.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Ruby seems to think for a second before saying, "I saw you, Yang. You were-"

 "Wha- were you..." Yang cuts her off and quickly looks over her shoulder at the door the two had exited from, "Were you watching me?" Yang looks at the sheepishly smiling Ruby, before she glances away.

Ruby looked to the ground, tracing random patterns into the shallow dirt. She glanced back up to Yang quickly before looking away, quietly stating, "...Remember when I used to have those nightmares?" 

Yang remembers Ruby's nightmares and panic attacks started only a few months after their mother's "disappearance", starting when she was five years old. She remembers the first time Ruby had woken up from a nightmare, screaming and crying; and when Yang went to comfort her sister, Ruby had instantly burrowed into herself and didn't speak or make any reciprocated contact.

Yang had rushed out of the room, pulling her drunk father's sleeve to go to his daughter. Taiyang, even in his horrible drunken stupor, has realized something was wrong and followed Yang to her and Ruby's room. Ruby was still silent, even if she had tears streaming down her face, and still didn't unfurl herself from her ball: In fact, she seemed to push herself more away from their father.

After a hour or so of no response from Ruby, Taiyang left. Yang, still only being the seven-year-old she was, she climbed onto the bed with her sister and just held her and talked soothingly and low until Ruby finally revealed herself once more. Yang felt bad about leaving her sister after seeing her in such a vulnerable state, laid with her until morning. Ruby had fallen asleep shortly after with the presence of Yang beside her, but Yang had stayed away all night making sure Ruby didn't awake like that once more.

Throughout the years, Yang had always been the first responder whenever Ruby had showed signs of an oncoming panic attack or always took her out of a situation whenever she seemed nervous or anxious. They had lessened the older Ruby got but were still occasional, and very dangerous when it started before or during a fight. Luckily, it has only happened once or twice and it was during sparring and they were alone.

When Ruby had finally gotten to Beacon and had to share a dorm with her, Weiss, and Blake; it became very rare for them to happen. They still did, but when they did strike her, she usually just called out and left for the day. When Yang had finally questioned her why she was gone for so long and when they searched for Ruby she was no where to be found, did she finally secretly confess to Yang what she does. Yang expressed obvious concern but told her just to leave her alone.

It hurt hearing that Ruby didn't want her helping her even when she was in barely any state to help herself, but Yang respected her wishes. Afterwards, the next time Ruby left and the two other teammates expressed worry, Yang told them she just needed time to herself. Eventually, Weiss and Blake came to the conclusion themselves about Ruby. Instead of ignoring her like most people would usually do, they offered to help whenever Ruby felt like that. She obviously appreciated and felt grateful, but never owned up to their offer.

Finally done reminiscing about how Ruby had dealt with this for so many years, she turned to her sister who still peered intently at the ground, drawing words now. "So...", Yang drawled out hoping to get Ruby's attention. She did and the girl looked up to her expectantly, "Does it ever get better?"

Ruby considered this for a moment... "It does, but..." She trailed off.

"But?" Yang inquires.

"But I don't know if it will for you...", Ruby looks at her arm, "With your PTSD... It's different."

"Oh, I see." Yang turned to her sister with slightly red eyes and can see Ruby flinch and lean back, "So you think I'm broken compared to you? Is that it?"

Ruby snaps her gaze up to meet vicious red with startled silver, "What? No!", She hastily continued under Yang's furiously questioning glare, "We were all effected, differently. We were all effected by that one person that..." She trails off.

 "Yeah. Adam." Yang spits with so much venom.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Yang knows ruby wont judge her. They've shared their demons before, never hiding much from each other. But it's different now. After the Fall of Beacon, the dynamic of what everyone wanted or trusted to share with someone was limited. And by the haunted looks everyone had once in a while, it seemed everyone was hiding something from each other. Ruby certainly was, Yang could easily tell. But Yang decided if she wanted to get anything out of Ruby, she'd have to make the first step.

So Yang told Ruby.

"It wasn't about Adam this time. It was... my mom." Yang felt a weigh lift off her shoulders to be replaced by a guilty hear quickly when she continued:

"When I was recovering and you were gone, Dad talked about her. He still doesn't like talking about her, but he told me a few interesting things. How I reminded him of her sometimes. How she was the cause of Team STRQ breaking up. How she left... us. I'm scared that I'll turn out like her: leave you guys like how she left them. I tried so hard to find her all those years and when I did... Well, she definitely wasn't what I expected."

Raven wasn't what she expected. Yang wanted to know who her real mother actually was for close to a decade, never getting more than a few stories or pictures here and there. Then when Yang finally saw her face-to-face, she hated her.

Ruby tapped her chin in thought, "Well what do you think about her?"

"I don't know what to think."

Ruby bitterly chuckled, drawing a curious eyebrow at her from Yang about what so funny. "We followed our parents footsteps so closely. Almost going down the same exact path from Qrow's words. And you know how that ended." Yang tilted her head, wanting to see where this is going.

"But we are not our parents." Ruby takes a deep breath, sighing out, "Where they failed, we'll excel. This time we can make it. All of us. And I know... you aren't like Raven, you are your own person. Easily capable of making your own choices. And I know you won't leave us. Right?"

Yang couldn't help but grin and reach a hand up to ruffle her younger sister's hair, stating confidently and humorously, "Yup. You can't get rid of me if you tried." She then drops her hand and bashes it onto the ground, making dirt scatter lightly at the impact, "I wont leave you. I won't leave them. I promise."

They both smile at each other, their heart-to-heart coming to a close. Both wearing their hearts on their sleeves for each other to see. They are glad that even with all that has happened, especially with the recent events, they can still trust each other with anything. Whether that be feelings and thoughts, or with themselves.

They sit idly and talk until the sun had well come up, still vibrant in the cloudless sky. The light hues of yellow and orange transforming into beautiful blue with a bright shining sun, contrasting to the previously cloudy and dark, broken moon sky.

Unbeknownst to them, Blake and Weiss sat at the foyer, pressed against the opposite wall out of sight. They had leaned against each other, listening to the two sisters when they heard the two quietly dashing downstairs. Neither wanted to interrupt, so they decided to stay put together during the remaining time of the night.

The sisters when the morning finally arrived, entered the house to discover the ex-heiress and faunus sleepy soundly together. They looked at each other, then at the two, and good-naturedly shook their heads when gently shaking them awake. They drowsily awoke and let their respected partners drag them upstairs where everybody was. 

The newly reunited Team RWBY, all after having morning coffee and breakfast, agreed to just go out for the day together shamelessly and with no worries. Strolling through town and going to places the four of them enjoyed together.

Together. Just how they like it.


	2. Indomitable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -The characters thoughts at the end of Volume 6 with Ruby facing the leviathan

**Weiss**

_I don't know what that lunatic is thinking? She's going to get killed._ Weiss watched warily as she sent her partner out to her inevitable doom, straight into the line of fire.

She's feels as if it's the tower all over again from the Fall of Beacon, watching her partner sprint farther and farther away from her while she stands at the bottom, watcher her go. She had helped Ruby make it up there, and it had led to her getting hurt.

Weiss surely felt just as worn out like she as before, drained by summoning and fighting. Getting rid of one enemy to deal with another almost instantly.

And here she is again: Doing the same thing, hoping for something different.

And, as she stands there, helplessly on the sidelines once more; the water begins emerging with something new.

* * *

**Blake**

_Why is she standing there? I don't want her to get hurt._ Blake scolds worriedly as she watches her leader standing on Weiss's summoned being, being drifted off.

In an instant of panic for all of them, a giant Grimm leviathan now emerged from the water. Waves crash down around it while it looks straight into the eyes of Ruby, not backing down.

Blake resists the urge to jump in, a feeling of protectiveness overpowering her, but she doesn't. Her own body can't move, and she hopes to trust her leader that she can handle it.

But of could it doesn't look good for her. It never looks good.

Blake doesn't want her hurt, of course, especially after they had reunited once more. She wants to repay Ruby for saving her from the Grimm down in the well, but she fears she might not get that chance now.

A fear almost like the one she felt for Yang when she-, or when she saw Weiss bleeding in the Battle for Haven; a fear that only grips her when she thinks she might lose someone dear to her. She never felt that for Adam, Ilia, Neptune, or even Sun.

So that's why Blake looks on it horror as the giant Grimm, one they've never seen before, begins to lunge at Ruby. A leader, a teammate, a friend-no, a best friend.

And like that, it feels as if time is slowing down.

* * *

**Yang**

_What will I do if I lose her? Dammit, I have to protect her._ Yang growled to herself, she watched that  _thing_ jump at her sister. She was ready to jump out herself, sitting on the edge of the opened plane with her robotic hand reaching out, as if she could grab her into safety.

It feels as if she's never able to reach her sister, bring her to safety. She's too reckless for her own good, and too stubborn. It's always been that way.

From when she tried to recklessly bring her to find Raven and almost got them killed, from that mission in Mountain Glenn and the breach, from the Fall of Beacon and not being able to find her sister, from pushing her away when she tried to help Yang.

Pushed her away...

Of course she did. And now Yang has been feeling guilty about it for the past year, watching and hearing her sister leave without her. Proving she didn't need the "big sister" to protect her anymore.

And even now, after Yang had come back for Ruby. Never being able to keep Ruby out of harm.

From the Battle of Haven (and her own goddamned mother hurting her sister), to the Apathy, to Cordovin and her giant weird robot, to... now.

Yang has always tried to reel Ruby back in from hurting herself, but it never worked for long. She couldn't make the light dim even a fraction. And maybe she doesn't want to.

For a moment, she thinks it's herself falling out of reality with time slowing around herself. Until-

She sees a bright white flash emanating from her sister.

* * *

**Ruby**

_I did it? I did it._ Ruby feels time return to normal, and the white from her vision fade. The power surging through her momentarily fading just as quickly.

She sees the leviathan in front of her turned to stone, the thoughts that made her power flare up still hanging just out of reach in her mind.

She turns when she hears a throat clear and looks into the eyes of Jinn who has a curious brow raised. Her arms are crossed and she looked curiously (and maybe a bit annoyed) at Ruby. She glances quickly behind her and Ruby gives a short nod as Jinn recedes back into the golden lamp that goes to her hip.

Ruby hears cheering and loud shouts behind her, but she doesn't at the same time. Just gazes off in distant memories that now flask in the front of her mind, almost painful enough to give her a headache.

Pyrrha, Penny, Roman, Cinder...

A small smile grazed her lips.

Weiss, Blake, Yang, Zwei, RNGR, Summer...

Ruby looks over to the ship as she feels the summon under her move towards it and is greeted by the relieves faces of her team. Of her friends.

As her feet touch back down to the metal of the ship, her team standing around her, Qrow peeks his head back from the chair in the front of the ship her was sitting in. With a smile and something akin to a chuckle, he says, "You did good, kiddo."

Ruby smiles widely at her uncle as Maria's voice (whose for some reason sitting in the driver's seat) piped up too, "Good job, Warrior. Wait until the next time."

She herself gives a relieved sigh and slides down onto the floor of the ship, her team joining her as they return to usual bantering around her.

Maybe this was meant to be. Like destiny...

But what destiny awaits her?

.

.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another. Wow. Very short, yes. But just an idea to get out there and update.  
> If you want anything added, just ask.


	3. Nevermore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Yang isn't sure how to feel about this path she has now and gets advice from Blake (some Bumblebee)

The day was cold and gloomy, as it was raining outside and there was nothing to do. Blake and Yang sat together in RWBY's conjoined room; Blake reading a book near the floor, and Yang staring aimlessly into the ceiling while laying on her bed. They sat in silence with only the rain hitting the window until Yang abruptly started:

"Have you ever wanted your life to be like a video game or cartoon or something? Like, even if it was bad and filled with aliens or zombies or whatever, wouldn't you want something more- I don't know- exciting?"

Caught of guard with her partner's sudden voice, Blake marks her place in her book and closes it, considering her question with a raised brow, "And you consider fighting an immortal being... not exciting?"

"No! But-" Yang trials off, half in embarrassment and half in not knowing what to say. She looks away, sitting up finally, and letting out a few stammers of failed explanations.

Blake prods her on anyways, curious as to where this conversation is going, "But?"

Yang seemed to be considering what to say, finally meeting Blake's eyes, "What happens after all this? Or if we do get an after. What then?" There was a semblance of emotion in her eyes she couldn't quite place. No, wait. She could. It was the eyes of someone who felt loss. And it didn't seem like that was the first time it resided there.

Blake wasn't sure what to say, so she just asked, "What do you mean?" Simple and stupid. But what is she suppose to reply to that?

Yang didn't seem deterred by this, answering honestly, "I don't want to just fight Grimm constantly after doing something like this. Go back to something like that." She mumbled a quiet "How could you?" that Blake barely registered.

Blake got up and walked over to the beds, where Yang was sitting on the top bunk. She made a gesture for her to move, which she did, and started climbing up as she said, "Well, what's wrong with that? It is what we signed up to do."

"I know that! And there's nothing wrong with that. But now it just seems-" She stopped as Blake sat down next to her, looking down onto the sheets of the bed.

"Boring?" She tried for her.

"Yeah..."

Blake tried to meet Yang's eyes, but she didn't give. Blake proudly claimed, "Well, I like boring. It's peaceful and not filled with chaos and corruption. I've had enough of that in my life." She ended in a whisper. It was true. Maybe chaos really wasn't built for her. And it always seemed to find her.

"I know, and I don't really want that either. Destruction and chaos, I mean."Yang looked up to clarify. But she swiftly turned her head in a uncharacteristic gracefulness to the window looking outside, "It's just- Doesn't that get repetitive? Don't you want an exciting life? Sometimes, at least."

"Well sure, but why does it have to be living on the edge? Fighting immortal beings all the time on impossible quests?" Blake questioned as she put a hand on Yang's shoulder, trying to get her attention once more.

And she did, but not with the attention she wanted. Yang raised something of a teasing, but also accusatory, brow at Blake. "Are you saying this is an impossible quest?"

Blake tried to cover herself, explaining quickly but hesitantly, "...I'm just saying it doesn't have to be like that."

Yang calmed, looking sheepish. "I mean, it doesn't have to be like that. Just something different." She explained. She wasn't exactly sure what she was hoping, Blake could tell, but something different from the life she originally thought she wanted.

And Blake could easily agree. "Alright." Blake said nonchalantly, drawing an inquisitive look from Yang, "Make it different." She shrugged at Yang's bewildered expression.

"What?"

"Make it different." She repeated in the same tone. "Maybe the excitement here is how you want to be. Who you want to be."

To Blake's joy and confusion, Yang let out a small laugh. She wrapped a mechanical arm around her shoulders, and teasingly said, "Wise words. When did you become so smart?"

 "When I had to meet up with you again." She jokingly insulted right back, groaning in effect. Blake decided to play right back, bantering like normal once more with Yang. It felt good to be reconnected;

"Hey!" Yang cried out in offense.

Blake didn't respond to the outcry, but had a small smile playing at her lips. They sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere with each other's company. It felt normal. It felt nice-

"So?" Blake broke the silence, turning to Yang as best she could with her still wrapped to her side.

"So what?"

"What do you want to be?" She asked curiously.

Yang just smiled nervously, but confidently. Moving her arm away from her shoulder and placing it over Blake's hand that was sitting on the bed. She wasn't quite ready for whatever Yang was about to say to her:

"...Right here with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know how their life is super exciting, but don't you ever get the feeling that after something amazing and fun happens (or just big and wild in this case), everything else just seems... bland afterwards? I'm sure you have. And I'm sure the RWBY characters have, too.  
> Also, its 4am for me. Appreciate me!

**Author's Note:**

> Comment prompts you might want me to do and I'll try to write it if I like it! This one shot book will carry one until Volume 7, or as long as it should. Happy readings!


End file.
